Crystal Palace Close to Loan Signing of Axel Disasi from Chelsea

Crystal Palace are closing in on the loan signing of Axel Disasi from Chelsea, in a move that would reshape Pierre Sage’s defence just weeks before the new season kicks off.

The France international is expected to undergo a medical at Palace on Friday ahead of a season-long loan. All being well, he will become a central pillar of Sage’s first campaign in charge.

Disasi rebuilt his reputation at West Ham in the second half of last season. Dropped into a relegation fight, he stood out in difficult circumstances and quickly attracted attention across the league despite the Hammers’ eventual drop. That spell has effectively turned him from a fringe figure at Stamford Bridge into one of the most in-demand centre-backs on the market.

Back in January, Disasi had turned down several exit routes while marooned in Chelsea’s so‑called “bomb squad”, choosing instead to wait for the right opportunity before finally joining West Ham. That decision paid off. His form there pushed West Ham to explore a permanent deal this summer, only for talks to stall as Palace moved decisively.

Now the 26-year-old is set to trade claret and blue for red and blue, with Palace poised to beat their London rivals to his signature.

His arrival would address a glaring gap in Sage’s squad. Palace sold Maxence Lacroix to Chelsea earlier in the summer in a £52million deal, cashing in on one of their key central defenders and leaving a sizeable hole at the heart of their back line. Disasi, with his Premier League experience and physical presence, is viewed as immediate cover and potential leader in that area.

Sage did little to hide his priorities when asked on Thursday if Palace would bring in a centre-back before the window shuts.

“Yes,” he said. “We need a player in this department, a player with a lot of games, if possible, in the Premier League.

“We need players, but we need a leader and that's why we need to wait a little bit to find a good one.”

Pressed on whether that leader could be Disasi, Sage kept his cards close, offering only: “He's a player from Chelsea.”

If Palace get this over the line, he will be much more than that. He will be the defender Sage builds his first Crystal Palace team around.